


Darling, so it goes

by GalileoSunshine



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project, Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Anniversary, F/F, Presents, Shopping, Song Lyrics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-22 13:41:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16598936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalileoSunshine/pseuds/GalileoSunshine
Summary: Chika and Riko's anniversary is fast approaching, and Kanan tries to help Chika pick out a gift to celebrate.Written for the IYHS zine!





	Darling, so it goes

**Author's Note:**

> A piece written for the 'Is Your Heart Shining' zine, celebrating the titular song's anniversary and the birth of ChikaRiko!

Chika and Kanan weaved their way through the shopping district, past souvenir shops and confectionaries and clothing stores. They dodged advertisers who orbited their kiosks in the center of the walkway, trying to catch anyone unawares into considering their product or brand.

“Upgrade your smartphone to the newest model…!”

“Get a free credit rating from our experts at…!”

“Rid your skin of acne with our special cream...!”

Their voices rose and fell in volume as Chika and Kanan passed by. Chika tried to keep her head facing forward, but she couldn’t help turning her eye toward one stand that shone with glittering gemstones, necklaces, and bracelets. A woman behind the kiosk counter smiled at her with a strangely knowing gaze, like she knew what Chika was thinking.

“See anything you like?” she asked.

Chika hesitated.

“Chika, I told you not to bother with that!” Kanan’s voice cut through her captivation with the jewelry.

“Ah, sorry!” she answered, tearing her eyes from the stand and the woman. She bowed in apology and sped after Kanan. Soon she had caught up, and they were walking side by side. “Where are we going by the way?”

“The perfect place to get your anniversary gift!” Kanan answered, a confident smile on her face.

Soon they arrived at the entrance of a certain store, and behind the glass of the shop windows, lines of hand-knit pillows, plushes, and stuffed animals were presented in neat, tiered rows.

“Wait, stuffed animals!?” Chika groaned. “That won’t make a good gift at all!”

Kanan noticeably deflated. “Hey, rude. You need to apologize to my dolphin plush.”

Chika let out a sigh in exasperation.

“C’mon, don’t knock it off so quickly! Let’s take a look at least.” Kanan stepped into the store, and Chika had no choice but to follow her.

As soon as they stepped in, they were bombarded with the store’s color scheme of white, pink and red. The entire place smelled sickeningly sweet of roses and perfume, and moreover, a Frank Sinatra rendition of “It Had to Be You” was playing quietly from overhead speakers. The store was certainly pushing for a specific amorous atmosphere… profusely so.

Kanan quickly found her way to an aisle with teddy bears. She held up one that was holding a heart, in which were embroidered the words “I love you”.

“Bears are always good idea! How ‘bout this fella?”

Chika shook her head.

“Then, this one?” Kanan held up another bear holding the words ‘Be Mine’.

“Uh-uh.”

Kanan reached for another bear. “How about -”

“Kanan-chan, this isn’t Valentine’s Day!” Chika cut her off, and Kanan’s hand stopped in midair.

Chika admitted the bears were cute, but they simply wouldn’t get across the feelings she wanted to convey. The “Be Mine” bear might come the closest, but… it wasn’t  _strong_  enough. Riko was already hers, in a sense.

Kanan, however, wasn’t ready to give up on the idea of stuffed animals just yet. “Maybe you can do it in combination with something else?”

“Like…?”

“Like, with a card, some flowers, then chocolate…”

“Kanan-chan, that’ll make it even  _more_  like Valentine’s day!”

“Ugh, fine!” Kanan leaned against the shelves, crossing her arms. “Just make this harder than it needs to be!”

Chika softened. She  _had_ been pretty critical of all of Kanan’s suggestions so far. They already spent almost the entire day wandering the shopping district, trying to find a present.

“Sorry, I know you’re just trying to help,” Chika said to calm the other girl. “It’s just…this is our 5th anniversary. That’s big! I want it to be something really special to both of us when we look back on it.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it…”

The two lapsed into silence, not sure where to go from there. Kanan tapped her foot, trying to mentally wring the last vestiges of creativity from her brain. In the background, Sinatra’s crooning taunted at them. “ _It had to be you…I wandered around, and finally found… the somebody who…._ ”

It was not helping Kanan’s concentration in the least.

Meanwhile, Chika fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, trying to figure out whether she should voice an idea she had had for a while. It was more than an idea – a desire, really. In fact, she had mentioned it to Kanan some time ago, only to be met with staunch refusal. But maybe this time would be different…

“Hey, Kanan-chan…”

Kanan hummed a “yes?”.

“Earlier we passed by that stand, and… well, what about… my idea?”

Kanan’s expression was blank for only a second before it exploded.

“Chika! No!”

“But  _why_?”

Kanan rubbed her temples and whined. They’ve had this conversation a million times now. “I just don’t think you’re ready, Chika!”

“This is our  _fifth_ year together, I think we’re ready!”

“You don’t know that.”

“I know more than you. This is  _my_  relationship.”

“Chika, I’m telling you, no!”

“Why are you so against it!? Are you against  _us_ , then?” Chika shouted, and immediately regretted her harsh words, especially when she saw Kanan’s face contorted with pain. She hurried to apologize. “Sorry…I didn’t mean that…”

Kanan sighed, and placed her hand on Chika’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “I just don’t want you to regret anything, ok?”

Chika didn’t say anything. Of course, she knew that. But she couldn’t imagine herself ever regretting it… that is, if she really followed through with the idea.

“Think about it a bit longer, ok?” Kanan said softly, still rubbing Chika’s shoulders, like a doting older sister. And Chika couldn’t help but start being swayed by Kanan’s caution, her thoughtfulness.

Kanan held out the teddy bear again and put on a cute voice. “This snuggly-wuggly is still waiting for you. And Riko.”

Chika took the bear.

_ Be mine… _

She  _did_ want Riko to be hers. And she wanted to be Riko’s. She wanted to give everything she had to the girl who had come into her life like a miracle. And she knew Riko felt the same way.

…or did she?

Was she assuming too much? Maybe it  _was_  too soon for them. Chika was always rushing headlong into things without thinking of the consequences, or even the feelings of others. Some might say it was part of her charm, but Kanan was right to point out the other side too. It can be foolhardy, and hurt others.

Was she just being reckless again?

….

A record scratched.

And suddenly the background music changed, and a soft piano took over, accompanied by a deep, serenading voice. “ _Wise men say… only fools rush in_ …”

Chika sucked in a breath.

“… _But I can’t help falling in love with you_ …”

It was almost… in answer to her question. What were the chances? But Chika, who had such a strong faith in miracles, couldn’t believe in coincidences. Not ones like this.

“Kanan-chan, what’s this song called?” Chika shouted.

“Ueh!?” Kanan flailed, startled by the sudden outburst. “Pretty sure it’s… Elvis? ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love.’ It’s a classic. Whoa, Chika! You ok?”

Chika was hunched over, a hand on the shelf to steady herself. Her brows were furrowed in concentration, and her eyes were distant, focusing only on the music, searching for the answer.

“ _…Like a river flows, surely to the sea… darling so it goes…_

_ Some things… were meant to be… _ ”

Chika had always believed in the power of songs. It was her namesake. It was how her journey of being a school idol started, when she saw Muse on that telescreen in Akihabara. It was how her relationship with Riko started, with helping her find the sound of the ocean, and overcoming her fears with the piano. Songs had meaning, and the meaning of  _this_  song was clear as crystal.

Chika's eyes snapped into focus. She straightened and looked at Kanan, set with determination.

“Kanan-chan, I don’t know about being ready or not but… I want to do this! I feel like I have to!”

Kanan’s lips quivered. Finally, they turned up into a smile in resignation. “Alright Chika, have it your way.”

Chika’s face lit up. “Thank you Kanan-chan!” She broke off into a run out of the store.

“Hey, wait, Chika!” Kanan called, chasing after her.

Chika knew just where to go. They had passed it getting here, the kiosk filled with necklaces and bracelets and… rings. Her lungs burned with exhilaration as she ran. All the while, the lyrics of the song raced through her head.

_ “Take my hand… take my whole life too… _

_ For I can’t help falling in love with you _ .”

She wanted to give her whole life to Riko. She knew she wouldn’t regret it. Riko was her miracle, and miracles happened for a reason, right? Some things were meant to be.

This year’s anniversary present would be the best one yet. They’d remember it forever, because it was more than just a present – it was a promise.

It was a proposal.

She hoped Riko would say yes.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Long time no fic. School has been busy, but I'm glad to have written this!
> 
> It was an interesting exercise to write for a ship where one of the pair doesn't even appear! I was also trying to do kind of a mystery concept, where hints of Chika's anniversary gift idea are given, but the real nature of it isn't revealed until the very end! Hopefully I succeeded and you enjoyed!
> 
> Being able to participate in a zine like this was such a wonderful experience, and I'm beyond moved by all the love that's been poured into each art and written piece in the zine! Please do check out the zine [here](https://gumroad.com/l/iyhszine)! ^^


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